How does God see our church?
1. With Love.
2. With Understanding.
3. With Purpose.
It is a good idea (with Biblical precedent) to ask ourselves, “How does God view our church?”
Biblical idea: “The Revelation of Jesus” God sends specific messages to seven churches. The communication with each church reveals God’s awareness of their responses to the instructions given to all churches and their unique challenges. What we believe about God’s perspective is most important.
How does God see our church?
1. With Love.
God is love. God’s love for us is eternal. God sees us through the lens of the redeeming love given to us in atonement and salvation. God desires that we would respond with wholehearted devotion.
“God so loved the world…” – John 3:16
“God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-21
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:7-9 CSB
“Bride of Christ,” – Ephesians 5:25-30
“25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of his body.” – Ephesians 5:25-30 CSB
God sees us as valuable and lovely, through his commitment to love us. God desires that we would respond with wholehearted devotion. Our view of City Harbor Church must be informed by God’s perspective first and foremost.
“Love God, love each other,” – Matthew 22:37-40
2. With Understanding.
God knows what is best for us. God has complete knowledge, understanding, and wisdom about the neighborhoods and circumstances in which we live. God has the perfect understanding of who we are and why we gather as a local church. The Good News of Jesus brings us together. God knows the best ways for us to fellowship and collaborate.
God is perfect in Knowledge and Understanding – August 27, 2023
God’s understanding is infinite. Psalms 147:5 Isaiah 29:15-16
God knows the hearts of all. Proverbs 15:11 1 John 3:20 Genesis 18:18-19
Jesus prays for us, in John 17:20-26. The Bible shows us that Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf, Romans 8:34 says that Jesus “is at the right of God and is also interceding for us.” In 1 John 2:1 we read that Jesus is our “advocation with the Father,” and from Hebrews 7:25 we learn that Jesus “always lives to intercede” for us.
“Spiritual gifts, Jesus is the head of the Body, bringing unity to our diversity.” – 1 Corinthians 12
Comparison steals joy. It may be normal to compare our church with other churches. It may not be healthy or helpful to do so. Our view of City Harbor Church must be informed by God’s perspective first and foremost.
3. With Purpose.
God enjoys giving each one of us identity, value, and purpose (just as we see with Adam and Eve, in Genesis 1:26-31.) God gives purpose to every believer and every local church. This includes the directive Jesus gave, in Matthew 16:18, 22:37-40, 28:18-20, Acts 1:7-8, to invite others to salvation in Jesus and a lifestyle of wholehearted devotion to Jesus, following the ways of Jesus. God gives us the example of those who first heard him, as seen in the New Testament. (in particular Acts 2:42-27, 4:32-35, 1 Corinthians 10, 12, Ephesians 2)
“Jesus builds,” – Matthew 16:18
“On this rock I will build my church, and the power of death will not be able to defeat it. ” – Matthew 16:18 NCV
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All power in heaven and on earth is given to me. 19 So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you, and I will be with you always, even until the end of this age.” – Matthew 28:18-20 NCV
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:7-8 CSB
Jesus has always been present and foundational to a healthy relationship between God and humanity.
“That rock was Christ,” – 1 Corinthians 10:4 CSB
“Jesus is our cornerstone,” – Ephesians 2:18-22, Acts 4:10-12
“18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit. ” – Ephesians 2:18-22 CSB
“Spiritual gifts, Jesus is the head of the Body, bringing unity to our diversity.” – 1 Corinthians 12
We should follow the example of Jesus’ first followers.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:42-27 CSB
God’s purpose for us is most valuable and yet not overwhelming. God’s purpose for us is scalable. Following the lead of Jesus, we can bring together our individual lives around God’s purpose. In this current era of God’s Kingdom, we are part of the Jesus Movement on earth. City Harbor Church has an important part to play in contributing to the healthy growth of the Jesus Movement in our Baltimore neighborhoods.
Analogy of The Great Green Wall – a local community-driven forward-looking solution for the stewardship of natural resources
Since 1920, the Sahara desert has spread by 10% and engulfed entire villages. The Great Green Wall may stop this spread. So far 18% of the wall has been completed, with the restoration of over 20 million hectares of land, the creation of 350,000 jobs, the training of 10 million people in sustainable land and water management practices, and $90 million generated by project activities.
Strategy each person can dig one semi-circle in one day, in connection with others, to start the transformation of their area.
What should we do?
1. Pray about this week’s message and Scriptures.
2. Ask God to help you see God’s perspective of our church.
3. Ask God to help you see how you can be a part of this.
4. Encourage a fellow church member in this.